Paleo Low-FODMAP Food List

Good Morning! I've been busy compiling more lists lately.... 

Today I want to share with you a Paleo Low-FODMAP Yes/Cautious-Limit/No Food list that I've compiled from Dr. Sarah Ballantyne's new book, The Paleo Approach, dietician Anglaee Jacob's book, Digestive Health With Real Food, and the FODMAP App from Monash University. FODMAP lists are highly variable so this should not be seen as a complete list. I have listed the most common foods here. If any of the above sources listed a food as a No food I placed it on the NO Foods list even if other sources listed it as a Yes, Limit or Cautious food. Therefore, if a food is not listed as a NO Food it is most likely ok to eat, but be careful. Remember, FODMAPs can be cumulative in nature; while one amount and/or frequency of ingestion may not bother you, another may. Foods listed in bold are ones you should make a priority to eat regularly. 

Please click on the link below to go to the spreadsheet.  As I get new information the spreadsheet will automatically be updated.

Paleo Low-FODMAP Food List from Practicing Primal

Want to know more about FODMAPs? I'm not a medical professional and others have already covered this in detail so here are a few resources that you can read through:

Radicata Medicine (please note that the list on this site is not up-to-date)
The Paleo Mom 
Chris Kresser 
Paleo Leap

Paleo AIP + Low-FODMAPs

PLEASE NOTE THAT AN UPDATED VERSION OF THE PALEO AIP + low-FODMAP LIST CAN BE FOUND HERE. AS I RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION THAT SPREADSHEET WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE UPDATED. (9/9/14)


Wow, it's been awhile! I believe my last post was the beginning of the year and my January Whole30.

1 January 2014

I didn't end up finishing the W30 as I got rather ill in the middle of it. But, I have succeeded in several other things including 6 weeks of virtual training with Darryl Edwards of The Fitness Explorer, a 30-day Paleo challenge with Joe Appleton of Live Life Change, and 54 days of strict Paleo Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) as outlined by Sarah Ballantyne of The Paleo Mom. I also went from 216.4 pounds (about 15.5 stones) to 188 pounds (13.4 stones).  I've lost over 3 inches from my waist and hips and over 2 inches from my bust and thighs.  My biceps have lost about 1 inch.  I went through my "too small" clothes box the other day and found these jeans, a size 18UK/~16US:

Today

I've also had miscellaneous blood tests through the GP, but once again they have found nothing of significance and are unwilling to do further investigations (stupid NHS!).  I, however, have figured out a few things myself....

I'm at the point that I've got a fairly good idea of what my "diagnoses" are based on what we have NOT found, my symptoms and lots of research. My current working diagnoses are: 

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS / ME)
• Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AF)
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome caused by Fructose Malabsorption / FODMAP Intolerance
• Hypothyroid, most likely autoimmune in nature (Hashimoto's)
• Dysthymia with Major Depressive Episodes, possibly a symptom of all of the above diagnoses, but more likely genetic in nature. 

Based on the above, I played with a Paleo AIP + low-FODMAPs diet for a few weeks and this week I started it for real. I couldn't find a Yes Foods / No Foods list anywhere that combined the two protocols, so I have made my own.  I used information from the websites and books of Sarah Ballantyne of The Paleo Mom and Anglaee Jacobs of The Paleo Dietician to compile the list. Please note that FODMAP lists are highly variable for some reason. If anyone listed the food as one to avoid I put it on the avoid list, even if other lists showed it on the allowed side. I did not include tobacco, which is a nightshade, as it is not a food; but if you're a smoker or a chewer you'll want to stop that. I'm also a fallible human being so I may probably have gotten something wrong!  As a side note, another good resource is Monash University in Australia as they are at the forefront of FODMAP research.

Sign up on the right side of this page for blog updates as I will update this list as new food status' are determined / available.  Click here to be directed to a printable list.  The list is formatted to be printed onto A3 paper.

So, we've got the list, now what?!  When starting the diet eat only from the YES Foods list for the first 30 days at a minimum; 3-4 months is preferable. Do not reintroduce foods until you've had at least 5 symptom-free days.  Please note that I've combined Sarah & Anglaee's reintroduction protocols for the reintroduction process I'm listing here. Feel free to use whatever you think will work for you. During the reintroduction phase you will reintroduce one food (not one food group) at a time. There is a specific order you should reintroduce restricted AIP foods in (note that the reintroduction protocol listed in this link does not match Sarah's protocol that she describes in her book and that I am using here). The order does not seem to matter as much for FODMAPs. 

• Day 1:
• Eat a 1/2 teaspoon of the food 
• Wait 15 minutes
• If there are no symptoms eat 1 1/2 teaspoons
• Wait 2-3 hours
• If no symptoms manifest you may eat a normal size portion
• You may have a second normal sized portion this day if you like
• Days 2-8:
• Don't eat the reintroduction food or any other new foods
• If there are no symptoms you can move on to Day 9
• Days 9-13:
• If there are no symptoms you can eat a full portion or more each day. This step is due to the fact that FODMAPs can be cumulative in their effect (eg. you may be able to eat it once in awhile, but not every day, or you may be able to eat one FODMAP a day, but not two). If, at any point you experience symptoms, stop eating the food and wait for 5 symptom-free days before trialling another new food.
• Day 14:
• You may reintroduce another new food and start the process again. 

Some foods should never be reintroduced such as gluten, artificial sweeteners, vegetable oils and processed foods (to name only a few). Sugars should always only be eaten in moderation.  

Currently, I'm eating off the YES and LIMIT/CAUTIOUS columns as I'm going to be visiting home in the States the beginning of July. As such I can't do a full elimination and reintroduction process right now.  Full disclosure: I'm also having a bit of alcohol about once a week. We'll see how it goes! :)

Practicing Primal's Down & Dirty Whole30 Info and Easy Peasy Whole30 Meals

It's that time again.... Whole30! Yay!! I'm so excited to start 2014 off right.  Here's some quick tips and recipes to help you get started.  And, hop over to the Practicing Primal (and Paleo) Facebook Page to get daily support. Good luck!  ~Christina


THE DOWN & DIRTY WHOLE30 INFO!

YES Foods:

• Meats / Fish
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Healthy Fats

NO Foods:

• Grains
• Legumes
• White Potatoes
• Dairy (except for ghee / clarified butter)
• Processed Foods
• Alcohol
• Tobacco
• Sugars (of all kinds including artificial and natural (ie. honey))
• MSG, Sulphites, Carrageenan

WHOLE30 MEAL TEMPLATE ("The Plate")

• Meat/Fish + Vegetables + Healthy Fat = Whole30 Compliant
• Meat should be the size of 1-2 of your palms.  Fill the rest of the plate with veg. Add a healthy fat.
• Use this template for EVERY meal
• Print, Laminate, and Post (in your kitchen) “The Meal-Planning Template” from the Whole9 site for guidelines & quick reference! http://whole9life.com/book/ISWF-Meal-Planning-Template.pdf

OTHER

• No Paleo-ifying dessert or junk food choices (this is SWYPO - sex with your pants on)
• You are not allowed to step on the scale or take any body measurements for the duration of the program.

________________________________________________________________________


EASY-PEASY WHOLE30 MEALS!


NO PREP / COLD (I usually have this as my breakfast and sometimes even lunch)

• Pick 1 from each category:
• Protein: Lunch Meat, Parma Ham, Hard Boiled Egg, Cold Cooked Chicken or Turkey, Prawns or Seafood Mix, Smoked Salmon or Tinned Fish (sometimes I’ll bake up some bacon if I want something hot!) **note that a lot of lunch meat, prawns, smoked fish and sometimes tinned fish often have sulphites and/or sugar so don’t get those! Nitrates/Nitrites are ok.

• Healthy Fat: Avocado, Nuts (*no peanuts!), Nut Butter (*no peanut butter!), Coconut Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) or Olives

• Raw Vegetable: Bell Pepper, Carrots, Tomato (basil EVOO over it is yummy!), Celery (dipped in almond butter is scrummy!), etc…

SALADS

• Prawn Salad: Prawns and Chopped Tomatoes and Avocado with Salt (mix together). Eat plain or over greens.

• Egg Salad: Chopped Hard Boiled Egg and Tomatoes and Avocado with Salt (mix together) Eat plain or over greens.

• Chicken Salad: Chopped Chicken and Onion and Celery and Mashed Avocado with Salt (mix together) Eat plain or over greens.

• Tuna Salad: Tuna and Chopped Onion and Celery and Mashed Avocado with Salt (mix together) Eat plain or over greens.

• Taco Salad:

1. Brown mince and add in taco seasoning:
2. Taco Seasoning: 1 T chili powder, 1 T ground cumin, 1 T garlic powder, 1 T onion powder, 1/4–½ T crushed red pepper (if the mince isn’t spicy enough for you, experiment with the amounts of each  seasoning)
3. Use lettuce as a base for the salad
4. Top with taco meat and chopped veg: avocado, tomato, onion, etc.
5. If you want a dressing, use Basalmic Vinegar and EVOO

• Cobb Salad:

1. Pre-cook chicken and bacon and hard-boil egg and use when cold
2. Use lettuce as a base for the salad
3. Top with cubed chicken, crumbled bacon, sliced hard-boiled egg and chopped tomato, avocado, tomato, onion, olives (any colour) and cucumber
4. Use Basalmic Vinegar and EVOO as salad dressing

• Sushi:

1. Nori Seaweed with mashed Avocado and Smoked Salmon.  Put in thinly sliced carrots, cucumbers and/or bell peppers.  Substitute tuna for the salmon if you prefer. Roll according to the instructions on the seaweed packet

SOUPS & STEWS

*All of these need bone broth as the base…

To make: Take bones of chicken or beef and place in Crockpot. Fill pot full of water.  Add a few tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar and any spices and/or veg you might like, although you don’t have to add any.  Put Crockpot on Low for 24-48 hours.  Drain out bones and throw them away and use the broth.  **I like to get a whole chicken and cook in the Crockpot and then use the meat in a meal or keep for cold chicken to be used in breakfast or salads. Then you’ve got easy chicken bones to use!

*I cook all my soups in a Crockpot
*All of these have protein and vegetable in them so you only need to add a healthy fat to your meal
*Use leftovers in the next few days or freeze for later use

• Beef/Pork/Lamb/Chicken/Turkey Soup/Stew

1. Use bone broth as a base
2. Cut meat into chunks and add to broth (you can brown the meat on the stovetop first if you want to, but it’s not needed and the juices from the meat cooking give extra flavour to the broth
3. Cut up any vegetables that sound good (I like carrots, onions, garlic and celery) and add to broth
4. Add any spices that sound good
5. Want a chunkier stew? Add in cut sweet potatoes about a hour before serving

• Butternut Squash Soup from Make It Paleo by Bill Staley & Hayley Mason

     Ingredients:
        1 onion, chopped
        2 T coconut oil
        1 tsp cinnamon
        ½ tsp salt
        1 medium butternut squash, peeled & chopped
        1 quart chicken bone broth

1. Sauté chopped onion in coconut oil in a large pot
2. Add in cinnamon, nutmeg and salt
3. Add chopped butternut squash & broth, boil until squash is tender
4. Puree soup in a food processor high-speed blender until smooth

• Tomato Basil Soup from Make It Paleo by Bill Staley & Hayley Mason

     Ingredients:
        5 vine-ripened tomatoes
        1 T olive oil
        Salt & pepper to taste
        1 T coconut oil
        1 onion, chopped
        3 cloves garlic, minced
        3 cups  chicken bone broth
        ½ loose cup of basil leaves, sliced
        6 oz. tomato paste
        2 tsp each of salt & pepper

1. Clean & quarter tomatoes – toss with olive oil, salt & pepper (first set listed) & roast on a baking sheet at 350F for 30 minutes
2. Sauté onion and garlic in coconut oil until onion is translucent
3. Add in the roasted tomatoes and continue to sauté for 1 minute
4. Add in chicken bone broth, basil & tomato paste & stir continuously over medium heat until the tomato paste has dissolved
5. Season with salt & pepper (second set listed)
6. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to low.  Cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes
7. Pour soup into a food processor or a high-speed blender (I do NOT recommend using a regular blender while it’s hot unless you want a tomato splattered kitchen!) and puree until smooth

• Asparagus Soup by Dr. Hyman

     Ingredients:
        1 T extra-virgin olive oil
        3 garlic cloves, minced
        1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
        2 ½ pounds asparagus trimmed
        ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
        6 cups bone broth
        Sea salt and pepper to taste

1. Sauté garlic in EVOO & add cauliflower, asparagus, cayenne & salt/pepper
2. Add broth and bring to a bowl.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until cauliflower is fully cooked (about 5-8 minutes)
3. Puree in blender (when cool or there’ll be asparagus soup all over the kitchen)

SKILLETS

• Scrambled Egg with 1T Coconut Oil or Ghee and Vegetables cut up into it. Add cut Chicken and/or Crumbled Bacon if you want.  Add any Spices that you like – you can experiment with fresh herbs as well.  You can also leave the egg once it’s scrambled and then fold in half to make an omelette instead of continuing to scramble.  Alternatively, you can pour the batter into muffin tins or round baking pan and bake so that it becomes like a fritatta or quiche

• Bacon (I bake mine) and Sautéed Vegetables in 1T Coconut Oil or Ghee

• Sautéed Vegetables (I like Mushrooms) and Prawns in 1T Coconut Oil or Ghee

• Chopped Sweet Potato and/or Butternut Squash and any protein that sounds great.  You can add other vegetables in if you like. Add any spices that sound good.  Sauté in 1T Coconut Oil or Ghee.

BAKE
* Make things easier: Double up and use the leftovers the next day!!

• Meat & Veg Packets in Tinfoil:

1. Buy the meat and veg you want for the week.
2. When you get home, put vegetables & meat/fish, ghee/clarified butter and any spices in tinfoil and make into packets.
3. Freeze any packets that you aren't eating today or tomorrow.
4. Put the packets in the oven at Gas Mark 4-5 or 20-40 min depending on your meat.  If you don’t like the packets – bake your protein and then sauté or steam your vegetables separately
5. Drizzle vegetables with flavoured EVOO and salt before eating
6. Remember to take out packets for tomorrow out of the freezer

• Portobella Tomato Mince – make sure you eat a healthy fat with the meal

1. Brown mince
2. Add in compliant pasta sauce or make your own with passata (plain tomato sauce), tomato paste, canned chopped tomatoes and spices
3. Turn Portobellas upside down on a baking sheet and cut off stem if necessary.  Fill with mince mixture and bake until mushroom is cooked

• Almond Flax Crusted Chicken by Dr. Hyman (I think it tastes like Southern Fried!) - Eat with Sweet Potato and/or Steamed Vegetables – use EVOO or ghee on the sweet potato and vegetables

     Ingredients:
        4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
        1 T extra virgin olive oil
        1 T almond butter
        1 tsp lemon juice
        1 tsp sea salt
        pinch of cayenne
        1 tsp fresh parsley
        1 tsp paprika
        1/3 tsp onion powder
        3 T ground flax
        ½ cup almond meal (basically finely ground almonds)

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towel. Place between wax paper and pound until thin.
3. In small bowl combine EVOO, almond butter, lemon juice, and all spices and herbs.  Mix together in food processor or by hand
4. Once combined, add chicken breast and cover them.  Marinate for 10-15min or up to 24hrs
5. Combine the flax seed and almond meal in small bowl.  Remove chicken from marinade and press into flax/almond mixture until covered on both sides.
6. Bake  for 20-30 minutes.

• Roast Dinner (I like to throw the protein and veg in the Crockpot) – Pick one from each category:

1. Protein: Gammon, Pot Roast, Chicken, etc.
2. Vegetable(s)
3. Can include Baked Sweet Potato
4. Healthy Fat: Ghee or Coconut Oil

Why I Quit My Whole90 at Day 40

On Day 40 of what was supposed to be a Whole90 I quit. The reason was tri-fold:

1) I did not see the benefits even at Day 40 that I saw at the end of my first Whole30. Looking back, I think I felt my absolute best the two weeks after the first W30 - not sure why that was, but maybe being a bit more lax will help bring about a positive change. I'm going to be seeing a new specialist on 4 Oct (private pay - boo!) so hopefully he'll be able to shed some more light. At that time I'll work on following his treatment plan, which would curtail my W90 at somewhere around 65 days anyway.
 
2) I was getting discouraged and depressed because I was not seeing the results I want - weight loss and body comp results have been great, it's the exhaustion that I really care about and that is still killing me on a daily basis. As such, I know my head wasn't in the right place to be doing a W90. If you want to succeed on the W30 you need to have your head in the right spot.
 
3) I need to focus on The Monkey House Project: Go Primal right now. It takes a lot of my precious energy to do all the meal planning, shopping, prepping and cooking for the kids. As such, I need to be eating what they're eating instead of trying to be separate. Also, cooking Paleo-ized food for them, such as breads, waffles and treats, are too much for my weak will-power. On a slightly different note, but still in regards to family, I've missed being able to have a drink once in awhile with my hubby and/or friends. I need to be able to socialize regularly again. (This is not to say you can't socialize without alcohol - not at all!! We just like to have one sometimes and it's been difficult with me always saying no.)

So, look for more posts regarding my health updates and The Monkey House Project: Go Primal!! And, just so you know, the only non-Paleo thing I'll be adding back in is a bit of alcohol. I'm not adding any dairy and becoming Primal for the time being (except for grass-fed butter and maybe a Bailey's!!). :0)

"Go outside. Hug your family. Laugh with your friends. Work hard and play hard. Get enough sleep. Read. Experience. Keep life in perspective. Avoid negativity and unnecessary stress. Eat yummy food. Don’t define your self-worth by the number on the scale or the supposed “purity” of your diet. Keep your health in mind, but don’t let it become an obsession that rules you. At the end of your life, you won’t look back and dwell on the foods you did or didn’t eat, so don’t dwell on it now. Stop worrying about other people and what they do or say or think or feel or eat. Don’t be afraid to learn, change, grow, evolve. Find your joy, and live it." -- Chef Amber Shea

My August 2013 Whole30

My second Whole30 has been completely different than my first.  As I didn't go back to SAD eating in July, I didn't have nearly the detox symptoms so it was a much happier month! However, I didn't do well at sticking to The Plate for every single meal (or even most meals!) and I think that kept me from feeling as good as I did at the end of my first Whole30.  I also ate a lot more fruit this time around (I hardly ate any last time) because of the readily available seasonal yumminess, but I think that kept my Sugar Dragon alive.  =0(  I am continuing on for a Whole60 in September.

Here's the Stats:

Lost 9.6 pounds, 0.25 inches on both thighs, 1.5 inches on bum/hips, 1.25 inches on waist, 1 inch on bust. Nothing lost on biceps. Down a bit in my clothing size - still technically an 18UK/16US, but they're loose! :0D

The Scale I'm Using to Measure Symptoms:

 0---------------2--------------4---------------6---------------8----------------10

No symptoms | Symptoms Rarely | Symptoms Sometimes | Symptoms Regularly | Symptoms Often | Symptoms Continually

    (never)             (monthly)                  (bi-weekly)                       (weekly)                (several x/wk)              (daily)

No Interference in Daily Life <---------------------------------------------------------------------------------> Significantly Interferes With Daily Life                        

 

Symptoms Record:

                           

	Pre-Whole30	Post-Whole30	Pre-Whole30	Post-Whole30
	30-May-2013	30-Jun-2013	31-Jul-2013	31-Aug-2013
Tired but Wired / Insomnia (at night):	10	8	9	8
Feeling Exhausted:	10	6	10	8
Have to Nap:	10	6	9	9
No to Low Energy:	10	6	8	8
Unable to Motivate:	10	6	8	8
Brain Fog:	8	4	4	5
Forgetful:	10	6	8	7
Stomach Pain:	10	6	7	6
Diarrhea / Loose Stool:	10	8	10	9
Headaches:	8	4	6	5
Tender Muscles:	10	10	9	9
Dry, Itchy Skin:	10	10	10	10
Easy to Bruise:	10	10	10	10
Hard to Loose Weight:	10	8	9	6
Depression /Low Mood:	10	8	9	8
Cranky / Irritable:	10	8	10	8
Sugar Addiction:	10	8	9	8
Joint pain:	10	0	2	3

 

 Measurements Record:

 

	Pre-Whole30	Post-Whole30	Pre-Whole30	Post-Whole30
	30-May-2013	30-Jun-2013	31-Jul-2013	31-Aug-2013
Weight:	216 lbs	205.4 lbs	206.4 lbs	197 lbs
Clothing Size:	20UK/18US	18UK/16US	18UK/16US	18UK/16UK loose
Waist:	45.5 in	45 in	44.5 in	43.25 in
Hips:	47 in	46 in	46.5 in	45 in
Bust:	46.5 in	45.5 in	45 in	44 in
Left Bicep:	15.5 in	15 in	15 in	15 in
Right Bicep:	15.5 in	15 in	15 in	15 in
Left Thigh:	29.5 in	28.5 in	28 in	27.75 in
Right Thigh:	29 in	28 in	27.75 in	27.5 in

  

Pictorial Record

While the difference between the beginning of the month and the end of the month isn't readily seen in these pics, there are some differences if you look closely.  If you take a look at the pics from May 31, 2013 on the My Journey (Thus Far) tab you can see some further differences - namely in my face and how much my stomach hangs over in the side pictures. 

 Some Food Highlights From the Month:

 

 
"Christina's Regular"! Sweet potato/s with ghee and salt and bacon tend to be my breakfast most mornings.  If I don't have my sweet potato in the morning, I tend to feel it later in the day as I begin to drag. 



 
Shrimp and brussel sprouts sauteed in goose fat.  Not one of my favourite meals of the month.  I'm not sure if it was the combination or the fat - I've never cooked with goose fat before.




Spaghetti bolognaise with zoodles! My homemade spaghetti sauce includes passata, tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, garlic, onions, mushrooms, spices and mince or Italian sausage. I used this cool appliance for the first time and the zoodles (zuchinni noodles) turned out pretty great! I'm not sure I could tell that it wasn't real noodles under there.

 

I remade this Coconut Ginger Mushroom Chicken from PaleOMG that I made last month with my best friend on our girlie weekend away.  Still yummy!

Naked burgers with sweet onions, lettuce, tomatoes and avocados.  Accompanied by grilled zucchini and sweet onions.  I love veggies that my hubby grills (maybe because I'm not cooking them?!).




 
Homemade sweet Italian sausage (seasoning from The Whole Gang) in squash.  I also used the seasoning to make breakfast sausages.

Butternut squash soup (from Primal Palate) and roasted parsnip rounds that I did in my ActiFry with ghee - best way to eat parsnips by far!  A bit of fall in the air that night!

 


 

Homegrown raspberries in coconut milk.

Eating Out - It's Not So Hard: 

 

My kiddos were gone two weeks of this month so the hubby and I ate out several times.  I find it boring to eat out - it's not hard to get food that is compliant, but it doesn't usually taste that great! But, twice this month we went to Paolo's Kitchen and had a fab salad both times.

Trying Something New: 

Making my own KOMBUCHA!!!!!

And, Finally....

 

I started the summer (beginning of June) with one pair of shorts that were too small (US size 15 = UK size 17?? - no such thing as far as I know!) and one pair of shorts that were too big (US size 18 / UK size 20).  I bought two pairs of shorts for my trip to the US (US size 16 / UK size 18).  Now, at the end of the summer (beginning of September), I am left with only one pair of shorts that fit: the ones that were previously too small!!! YAY! (pictured below - and, yes, that's booch in my hand!)